Chuck vs The Jump
by DirectorCarmichael
Summary: A US Army soldier. An OSS Agent. French resistance. Nazis. It's 1944, and Chuck and Sarah are in the fight of their lives.
1. The Jump

For the millionth time, Chuck Bartowski wondered how he found himself in his current situation. Speeding through the midnight air, standing at an open door, waiting for a tiny light to turn green.

He tried to calm himself by looking out the door at the countryside below. It truly was beautiful, and Chuck could see why the French fought for it.

It was May of 1944. Captain Charles Bartowski, US Army, of Burbank, California, was about to embark upon the greatest adventure of his life. Barely two days ago, he had been ordered to report to a large, stately country house in southeast England.

Waiting for him was none other than General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, Europe. After getting over his initial shock, Chuck listened to the General explain his new mission.

Chuck, like almost everybody in the world, knew that an invasion of Europe was not only inevitable, but imminent. The Americans, British, and Canadians had amassed millions of men in England. Eisenhower, however, was the man who knew where and when it would happen. But, as he explained to Chuck, an invasion was more than just attacking a beachhead. In order to win the fight that was to come against the might that was Nazi Germany, they would need good soldiers behind the lines.

" _I presume I do not need to emphasize how dangerous this mission is, Captain."_

 _Chuck schooled his features for the General._

" _No, sir." He paused before continuing. "Permission to speak freely?"_

" _Granted."_

" _Why me?"_

 _General Eisenhower slowly removed his glasses, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Chuck immediately felt guilty – this man literally had the weight of the world on his shoulders. Chuck knew he was here doing his duty. It was why he volunteered. Yet he still did not understand why he, Chuck Bartowski, was chosen._

" _You're special son," the General finally said. "You're a pilot, trained Ranger, and one of the best intelligence officers we have. Above that, however, you're the man I believe can get this job done."_

And that was it. Chuck walked out of that meeting ready to fight for his country, to do whatever was necessary to win.

It was still an insane situation to him, however, as he stood ready. Two years ago he had been in college. Jumping out of airplanes into the French countryside behind German lines was the last thing on his mind.

"Captain!"

The jumpmaster's voice broke through the wind.

"30 seconds!"

Chuck gave him the thumbs up and prepared himself. Watching the light next to him on airframe, he tried to block everything else out and think about his mission.

Without warning, the light suddenly turned red. Chuck stepped up to the very edge of the door. He took a quick glance back. On every other jump he was with a full stick of men. This time, it was only him.

The light turned green. Before the jumpmaster could even react, Chuck was out the door. Within seconds he felt the familiar pull of the parachute, letting him know it deployed correctly.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Looking at his map, Chuck was happy to confirm they had dropped him in the precise planned position. Now he had a four mile walk to his rendezvous point.

He was to meet up with another American, an agent for OSS, the Office of Strategic Services. He was supposed to find them in a quiet, country cafe, which is only one of the reasons he jumped wearing civilian clothes. As he walked, he was vigilant about his surroundings. Technically he was now behind enemy lines. The Germans had been in France since 1940.

He wasn't so sure about meeting in such a public place. His French was admittedly not that good, and he had no idea what this agent even looked like. But, he reminded himself, he had his orders.

Finding the cafe was easy. Looking at his watch, he realized he was about a half hour early. Deciding to watch the place while he waited, he set up not too far away in the woods, giving him a vantage of the small town. The sun was just starting to rise in the east, and soon people began walking around, starting their days. Seeing nothing suspicious, he made his way to the cafe at the appointed hour.

Chuck walked in and quickly scanned the room. There were about ten people, scattered about at tables. Most were couples or older men reading newspapers. In the back corner, however, sat a woman about his age. She was drinking a cup of coffee, and looked up when she heard Chuck enter. He had to use all his training not to give away himself. She was simply stunning. He could feel the blush creeping up his face. He couldn't help it.

Then he quickly deduced that she must be the Agent. She was certainly the most beautiful Agent, hell woman, he'd ever seen. She had long, blonde hair in an intricate braid. Her blue eyes lit up the entire cafe.

Chuck slowly walked to her table, remembering the code he was supposed to use to confirm their identities.

"Excuse me, do you know if they serve chocolate croissoints here?" Chuck asked quietly.

"Oui, the best in town," she answered before motioning for him to sit down across from her.

She ordered him a black coffee before settling her eyes on him.

"How did you know I take it black?" He almost blurted out.

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

Chuck wasn't sure if she was angry or teasing him. Either way, they had a job to do.

"I'm Chuck, Chuck Bartowski."

"Sarah Walker."

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Sarah Walker was one of the best the OSS had to offer. There were a number of women who worked for the secret spy organization, but she was truly the cream of the crop. She had been sent all over the world, disrupting Axis money and oil pipelines, tracking down enemy combatants, and numerous other dangerous assignments.

She had been sent to France two weeks ago, under direct orders from the high command. She was to set up a base of operations, do recon of the surrounding area, and wait to make contact with her new partner.

While she preferred to work alone, and had most of her career so far, this mission was far too important. All she knew about her partner was that he was in the Army, and he was considered one of their best and brightest. He wouldn't have been given this mission if he weren't.

"Where's our base?" Chuck's voice snapped her focus back.

"About a mile down the road," she nodded northeast. "I can give you a full briefing there."

Chuck just nodded and sipped his coffee. He was trying not to stare, but was finding it near impossible.

"What?" She noticed. One eyebrow raised, she awaited his explanation.

"Oh, um sorry," he mumbled, embarrassed. "Should we go?"

Sarah just narrowed her eyes slightly at him before agreeing.

Stepping outside, she immediately looped her right arm in his left and smiled.

"When we're in public, we have to act like a couple," she whispered. "Now kiss me."

Chuck's jaw hung slightly open and Sarah quickly glared at him.

"Chuck, kiss me," she almost growled.

He leaned down and gave her the tiniest of pecks on her cheek, almost timidly.

"That's it?" She smirked up at him.

He was only able to nod as she pulled him along.

"Let's go, Chuck. We have a lot to discuss."

 ** _A/N: Okay, so it's been a while since I've been on here. Years, in fact. I have no idea why today, of all days, I had the urge to write a new story. It's just a random idea I had, so I decided to put it down on paper. Let me know what you think, good or bad._**


	2. Trust

_**A/N: I'm thrilled with the reaction to the first chapter of this story. Unfortunately, I have not started to write any chapters for any of my other unfinished stories. While I'm not ruling out ever going back to them, there's nothing coming down the pipe soon.**_

 _ **Please review, it fuels writing.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

The small home Sarah led Chuck to was quaint. It was far enough outside of town to be private, but not too far as to raise suspicion. It was simple – a living room, hearth, and kitchen on the first floor, and two bedrooms upstairs.

"Throw your gear in the bedroom on the right," Sarah nodded her head up the stairs as she locked the front door behind them. "Then meet me in the cellar."

Chuck followed her instructions and soon found the heavy wooden door that led to the basement.

"Whoa," he muttered as he descended the stairs and took in the scene before him.

It looked as though Sarah had prepared for the entire invasion herself. There were numerous weapons lining the walls, mostly German. There were maps of France, painstakingly marked with enemy troop positions. There was all sorts of gear, from bomb making materials to forgery equipment.

"Captain, if you would join me."

Sarah stood by one of the large desks, not so patiently waiting.

"Please, call me Chuck," he insisted as he strode quickly to her.

"Fine, Chuck."

He tore his eyes away from the map of northern France on the table and looked at her. She was deadly serious, maybe even a little annoyed. Was it something he did? Or was she focused on the mission, ready to go to work?

"Our first mission is tomorrow," she stated matter-of-factly. "Do you see this rail line here?" She pointed to a spot on the map about twenty miles from where they were. He just nodded. "We're going to blow up the tracks. This line leads north. Our mandate, as you know, is to do everything in our power to disrupt enemy activities and supply lines in preparation for the invasion."

Chuck sighed quietly as he began computing the mission in his mind. They would need explosives. He looked around again. Sarah had that covered in spades. A simple shape charge on the rail would cause enough damage to wreak havoc for a while, and he knew exactly how to build it.

"My contact in the resistance will meet us before. They're going to provide cover," Sarah further explained. "There's aways roving German patrols, but if we're careful and quick, we'll be fine."

"How do we know we can trust this contact?" Chuck asked.

"Because I said so," Sarah quickly snapped. "Jacques is _my_ contact, _Chuck_." Now there was no doubt in his mind. She was annoyed.

"Fine," he mock surrendered. "When do we leave?"

"20:00 tomorrow. We have to cover a lot of ground to get there."

Chuck nodded, processing. Sarah remained silent, her eyes avoiding his.

"Have you done a mission like this before, Agent Walker?" Chuck eventually ventured, desperate to cut the curious tension between them.

"Yes."

Swing and a miss.

"Call me Sarah." He was about to speak when she cut him off. "It'll be better for our cover."

"Right. The cover," he nodded somberly. He missed the slight wince on her face at his reaction. "If there's nothing else urgent, I'd like to get some rest."

Without waiting for an answer, he ascended to the second floor and shut the door of the bedroom she had told him to put his gear in. Almost falling onto the bed, he realized how tired he was. Physically, he was okay. He had been trained for this, and had spent extended periods of time in the field. Emotionally, he was struggling. There was the mission, and that was the most important thing. He understood that even though they were just a small cog in a much larger wheel, their role was still vital. Blowing up train tracks was just the beginning.

Then there was Sarah Walker. She was, simply put, an enigma. He had only known her for a few short hours, but she already intrigued, beguiled, excited, and confused him. She was beautiful, in the truest sense of the word, but didn't seem to let it affect her. She was obviously smart and an excellent Agent, or else she would not be in France, planning sabotage with him. Yet she had been so cold to him since they got to the safe house. He understood why she had been all smiles at the cafe – they had a cover to maintain. But did he do something wrong? Did he offend her in some manner? Chuck tried to remind himself to concentrate on the mission. Repeatedly. It just didn't work all that well.

Sarah stood still, almost bereft, after Chuck went upstairs. She was satisfied that she had given him enough of a briefing for the time being. That's not what troubled her. No, she eventually admitted to herself, it was Chuck.

When she saw him walk into the cafe, she almost hoped out loud that he was her partner. Her training helped her keep her emotions concealed, but they were there nonetheless. Even though he'd just jumped out of a plane into enemy territory and trudged miles through the darkness, his smile was had been infectious. His eyes shone bright when he had sat down across from her, studying her intently. She had felt naked, like he could see right through her and her carefully constructed defenses. It unnerved her. It scared her. It excited her. All of her alarm bells were ringing. Her training kicked in. As soon as they were out of public, she had been determined to be professional. This was her job, and she was the best.

Then why did it feel so awful when he left her? They were partners. They barely knew each other. This was a war, and they had an incredibly important task ahead of them. Sarah tried and tried to justify it in her mind, but failed. They simply could not work together like this. Something had to change.

Chuck had no idea how long he'd slept. Slowly opening his eyes, he instantly knew that he was not alone in the room.

"Agent Walker?" His voice was just above a tired mumble.

"I told you to call me Sarah, Chuck." Her response was just as quiet.

"Sorry," he shook the cobwebs out of his head as he sat up.

Sarah, who had been standing in the doorway, quickly sat down on the edge of the bed, still a few feet away from Chuck.

"I've never done this before," Chuck admitted. Sarah's eyes widened considerably. "Wait, no. That's not what I – crap, Sarah. I mean I've never had a partner like this, a cover to maintain. I'm a soldier, not a spy like you. I've been on a lot of missions. I'm not trying to brag, I swear. I'm sorry, I know this is important so I'll do my best, but I'm just a little apphre-"

"Chuck," she finally cut him off. When he looked up at her, she was smiling softly. "It's okay."

"You're not mad at me?"

She almost laughed, but realized that would be the absolute wrong thing to do.

"No, Chuck. I actually, um, came in here to apologize to you."

"For what?" He looked at her with genuine incredulity.

"Being a bitch," she breathed. Now it was Chuck's eyes which widened. "Look, Chuck, it's been a while since I had a partner. The last one, well, it didn't end on the best of terms. If Ike sent you here personally, that means that you're a spy, whether you like it or not, solider. The most important thing we have to have between us is trust." 

"I agree," he nodded.

Feeling braver, she scooted closer to him on the bed until their shoulders were touching lightly.

"Do me a favor?"

Chuck was certain he'd do anything she asked.

"Trust me, Chuck."


	3. Brooklyn

_**A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I can't believe that even after this show has been off TV for over five years, people are still interested in these characters.**_

 _ **If you have any ideas, concerns, or questions, please feel free to review or PM me. I'm always looking for any constructive advice or criticism.**_

 _ **Please review! It makes me want to write more...**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

Sarah looked around her in the cellar, mentally going through her checklist of gear for their mission. Chuck was busy getting the explosives ready, wiring the detonators and double-checking everything.

"Okay, let's run through this one more time," Sarah said when Chuck was finished.

"Composition C explosives?"

"Check," Chuck confirmed.

"Det cord and detonator?"

"Check."

"Sidearms and ammunition?"

"Check." Chuck motioned to their almost matching Colt 1911 .45 pistols. Although most of their weaponry was German, they knew they would only need pistols as a last resort. So, they both decided, they would carry their preferred sidearm with them.

"My knives?"

"You have those," Chuck pointed out.

"Oh, right. Check." Sarah reached down and felt the sharpened blades on her lower calf under her pants, missing Chuck's obvious blush.

Since their discussion the day before, they had fallen into a pleasant, effective working relationship. Sarah learned while planning the mission with him that Chuck was incredibly smart and knew military tactics better than anyone she'd ever met. He was able to creatively problem solve, finding them an alternate route to their objective that greatly diminished their chances of getting caught. Chuck discovered that Sarah was more than capable, and gladly ceded a leadership role to her. Although they were partners, she had been in country longer.

They hadn't really spoken on a personal level since Chuck had agreed to trust Sarah. For the time being, that was fine for both of them. They had a mission, and they had to be at the top of their game.

"Are you nervous?" Chuck asked as they began packing all of their gear up. "Sorry, that was a dumb question. Of course you're not. You're a spy."

"Spies get nervous too, Chuck," she assured as she checked the magazine of her pistol one last time before tucking it in her waistband under her lower back. "Were you nervous when you jumped yesterday?"

"A little," he admitted with a humble shrug. "I've done over a hundred jumps though. This is different."

"Yeah, you're right," she agreed. "We have a solid plan. We're prepared. Most of all, though, we have each other."

His eyes widened and she averted hers, realizing the implications of what she had just said. Chuck decided to let her off the hook.

"I think we're a great team."

Sarah let out a small smile at that, thanking him silently. Not for the first time, Chuck marveled at how beautiful her smile was, and returned it with one of his own. What he would have never guessed, though, is how Sarah had been thinking the exact same thing.

After a moment of comfortable silence, Sarah looked down at her watch.

"It's time, Chuck."

Their route was mostly through the woods, avoiding towns and roads at all costs. Every once in a while they would hear the distinctive sound of a gasoline-powered engine (usually meaning a German vehicle), and they were forced to stop and hide while the threat passed.

Chuck, who was leading the two of them, suddenly held up his hand, balled into a fist. Sarah immediately stopped, and the two crouched down silently.

"Shit, c'mon," Chuck whispered urgently. Without thinking, he grabbed Sarah's hand and tugged her along with him, deeper into the trees.

She glanced back and saw a German truck less than a hundred meters away from them. Although it was driving along the road, there were spotlights on both sides of the truck shining into the forest. Chuck led them behind a large fallen tree and they hunkered down. Sarah looked down and noticed he still had ahold of her hand, except now their fingers were intertwined.

"Sorry," he whispered again, mortified. He removed his hand from hers and she regretted it instantly. "It's clear," he said after another minute. She shook her head slightly, angry at herself for becoming distracted.

They had a set time and place to meet Jacques, their contact in the French resistance, or Maquis. Sarah had explained that Jacques was obviously not his real name. Since the French were literally fighting in their backyards, they took nom-de-guerres, or aliases, to protect their families. They did everything they could to resist the Germans. Men, women, even children volunteered to put their lives on the line in order to fight back.

"How many men will be with him?" Chuck quietly asked Sarah as they neared their rendezvous point.

"Or women, Chuck," Sarah pointed out with a grin. "Remember, Jacques' wife is his partner."

"Right. Sorry." He found himself constantly apologizing to her.

"Tonight it's just him. He's scouted out the rails and found the best spot to place the explosives. He also has a local exfiltration plan for us in case things go belly-up."

They had reached the place where Jacques was due to arrive any minute. It seemed like a random spot in the middle of the woods, but it was very carefully chosen.

"Water?" Chuck held out his canteen to Sarah.

"Thanks," she nodded gratefully as she took a swig.

"Sarah, where'd you grow up?"

She almost dropped the canteen and her jaw slightly dropped. Right now, of all the times and places, right now was when he wanted to know more about her?

"In my parent's house, Chuck," she deadpanned. She thought she would have been more peeved at his apparent lack of professionalism, but she strangely wasn't.

"No, I mean, where were you born?" He tried again.

"Right near my mom," she deadpanned again, suddenly feeling the urge to laugh, although she kept it inside thanks to her training.

"Fair enough," he conceded, taking his canteen back and gulping down a drink of his own.

Sarah looked at him intently, the dim moonlight bouncing off his features. He was genuine, not like most of the people she met in this war. He was a soldier, a volunteer, an honest-to-god GI Joe. Like her, he believed in this war, believed they were fighting against true evil for the future of the world. But there was something different about him. He wasn't like any soldier she knew. Granted, there are always good men willing to serve in uniform. Chuck, though, had a huge heart. That was plainly apparent to her. He actually cared about her, wanted to know about her. This was all new territory for Sarah Walker, who always prided herself on being professional.

"Brooklyn."

Although it was barely above a whisper, Chuck heard it. Before either of them could say anything, however, heavily accented English interrupted them.

"Agent Walker, good evening."

Reflexes took over and Chuck suddenly had his pistol raised and aimed at the intruder, who was about twenty feet away walking towards them.

"Relax, Chuck, it's Jacques," Sarah confirmed as she grabbed his arm and pulled it down so his pistol wasn't pointed at their contact. "Hi, Jacques," she replied, shaking his hand. "This is my partner, Captain Chuck Bartowski."

"Nice to meet you," Chuck stuck out his hand. Jacques shook it with a wide smile on his face. He was on the smaller side, Chuck guessing there was about eight inches separating them. He wore brown trousers, a dirty white shirt, blue suspenders, and a black beret. Slung over his back was a German MP-40 submachine gun, and stuck into his waistband was a German Luger semiautomatic pistol. He also sported a wide, full moustache.

"Pleasure, Captain. We are very excited that you Americans are finally here."

"You've been doing a pretty good job yourself from what I understand," Chuck insisted.

" _Merci_. But now we can really hurt the Germans. Together."

"That's why we're here," Sarah nodded to all their agreement.

" _Allons-y,_ we have another kilometer to the tracks," Jacques motioned with his hand to the east.

Jacques turned to begin leading the trio, Sarah behind him, and Chuck picking up the rear, covering them from the back.


	4. Sabotage

_**A/N: Thank you, everyone, for the reviews. If you've read any of my other stories, you know how much I love these characters. However, I do tend to write them OOC a lot. Let me know if it gets to be too much!**_

 _ **Please, keep reviewing! Even if it's just a thumbs-up!**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

They reached the tracks in a few minutes, pausing to make sure they were alone before they approached.

"Get the charges out, Chuck," Sarah asked quietly.

Chuck slung his pack off his back and reached inside. He brought out the explosives he had prepared at the safe house along with the cord and detonator they would need.

Jacques stood guard while Chuck and Sarah got on their knees in the gravel right next to the rail.

"No, Chuck, that's wrong," Sarah insisted as he placed the first charge.

"I figured out a better way to do this," he insisted right back. "Instead of just deforming the rail, which the Germans can fix easily, we can destroy about ten feet of both tracks and the ties between."

Sarah, out of amazement, just stared at him. In the darkness, he couldn't read her face.

"Trust me Sarah."

She did trust him. She blanched for a moment at the thought. For as long as she could remember, she had been taught to only trust herself. Everyone else lets you down in the long run. Even though she'd had partners in the past, she had learned to rely on herself and her considerable skills. Yet Chuck was, well, different. She believed him when he spoke, but it went further than just mere faith in his abilities. He wouldn't lie to her, that was obvious from the very beginning. Innately she knew that not she could not only trust him to do the right thing for the mission, but that he would also never do anything that had the possibility of hurting her. Physically or emotionally.

"Do it, Chuck," she nodded resolutely.

He grinned at her in the dim moonlight, and she found herself grinning back like a fool.

He was finished in short order, and after an inspection by all three of them, their sabotage was deemed ready. Jacques was particularly impressed at Chuck's improvisation.

Chuck fed out the detonation wire as they backed into the woods. They'd packed a lot of Composition C in the explosives, so they wanted to get as far away as possible before blowing it.

Finally, the three stood side by side, the detonator in Chuck's hands.

"Everybody ready?" He asked one final time.

" _Oui_ ," Jacques nodded.

"Ready, Chuck," Sarah affirmed, lightly squeezing his forearm for reassurance.

" _Trois, deux, une_ ," Chuck counted down in French. Before he hit the switch he swore he could hear a tiny giggle escape from Sarah.

The size of the explosion took them by surprise. The tracks lurched almost ten feet into the air before falling to earth in a jumbled mass of torn, destroyed steel. The shock wave reached them quickly, but they were prepared for it.

" _Tres bien!_ " Jacques was, rightfully, ecstatic.

"Wow, that was amazing," Sarah proudly declared.

She turned to Chuck, who was still looking at the remnants of the fireball, and went up on her toes to kiss his cheek. Chuck, having just registered her statement, turned to look at her. Instead of his cheek, their lips met, and Chuck slid his eyes closed automatically. Sarah was so surprised that it took her a moment to react. She was kissing him. And he was kissing back.

Suddenly Chuck became acutely aware of a soft, probing feeling on his lips, begging entrance. Realizing it was Sarah's tongue, he opened his mouth to her gladly. Their tongues danced for a few short moments before they simultaneously broke apart. Opening their eyes, they stared at one another for a moment before Chuck blushed and turned his head.

"I did not know you two were together," Jacques broke the silence, his tone slightly teasing.

"We're not, um, you see," Chuck babbled. "We're partners. It would be unprofessional for us to-"

"Chuck," Sarah stopped him. "It's okay."

"It is?"

"Yes. Are you telling me you didn't enjoy that?" She had her hands on her hips, and even though she appeared to be mad at him, he couldn't stop thinking about how cute she was with her eyebrow crooked up at him.

"Of course I did! It was amazing. Really, just really great."

"Good," she smiled.

"I'm sorry, but we should go," Jacques brought them back to reality.

As they retreated deeper, Chuck sought out Sarah's hand in the dark. Before grabbing it, he looked at her, silently asking for permission. At her slight nod, he took it in his and she interlaced their fingers.

Jacques left them soon after, ready to make his trek home. Once he was gone, silence reigned between them. Not an uncomfortable silence, but a happy one.

Chuck's mind was in overdrive. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure it was real. The high from the mission and kissing Sarah threatened to render him inoperable. Only his training prevented it. They had kissed. It started as an accident but turned into something much, much more. The pleasant feeling of her warm, soft hand in his reminded him that it was, indeed, very real.

He was about to speak when they both froze.

Voices. They could distinctly hear voices behind them. And they were speaking German.

"Chuck," Sarah whispered hurriedly.

"I hear them."

"There's three of them," she reported. "We should-"

" _Halt!_ "

They turned around and came face to face with three German stormtroopers.

Sarah plastered a smile on her face.

" _Bonsoir messiurs_ ," she said in French.

The soldiers were, of course, unaware she spoke German as they snickered to each other about how beautiful she was. Chuck, although he only understood a little German, got the gist.

Chuck and Sarah independently came to the same decision. They could not allow this to go any further. They needed to protect their cover at all costs, but more importantly, they needed to protect each other.

Chuck instinctively went to move in front of Sarah. One of the Germans, seeing this, reached out to grab her. That was all it took to spur him into action.

He reached behind her, sliding his hand down her lower back until he felt the grip of her pistol. Drawing it as fast as he could do so safely, he leveled it and squeezed the trigger. The German soldier dropped dead, a bullet hole between his eyes.

Sarah moved as soon as she felt Chuck go for her gun. Reaching down, she quickly unsheathed a knife. As she came back up, one of the two remaining Germans tried a wild haymaker. He soon found what many in the past had – you do not underestimate Sarah Walker. He soon joined his friend on the ground, the knife through his heart sending him to the afterlife in a jiff.

Turning to look for Chuck, she was horrified when she saw him on the ground, wrestling with the third and last German. She wasn't about to let Chuck get hurt, especially not after what just happened between them.

They were rolling on the ground, so she had to time her actions perfectly. When Chuck rolled on top of the German, she repeated his actions and grabbed his pistol from his waistband.

"Chuck," she resisted the urge to yell his name.

Nevertheless, he understood what she was doing. He quickly ducked his head to the right as he heard the report of his pistol. The German soldier slumped onto the ground, dead, a matching bullet between his eyes.

"Chuck, oh my god, are you okay?" Sarah was frantically checking Chuck all over as he sat on the ground. Satisfied he was unhurt, she framed his face with her hands.

"I'm okay, Sarah," he tried to smile. "Thank you for saving my life."

"You saved mine first," she shook her head.

"You could've taken that guy. I just, well, I didn't want...," he trailed off.

"What is it Chuck?"

"I didn't want him to touch you," he blurted out, looking down at the ground, embarrassed.

Sarah couldn't help it. She leaned in and kissed him thoroughly. This time, it wasn't a surprise, nor was it hurried.

"Thank you, Chuck," she whispered against his lips when they finally came up for air.

"We should probably do something about these bodies," Chuck pointed out dryly.

"You're right. Let's hide them the best we can."

Working together, they hid the dead Germans as best they could under the circumstances. When they were finished, they carefully began to make their way back to the safe house. It took them a little longer than expected because they wanted to make sure they weren't followed and that they were safe.

Once they were back, they put all their gear away in the cellar and quickly debriefed. Up until the encounter with the now deceased Nazis, everything had gone according to plan. They were both still feeling the euphoric effect of the combination of a successful mission and dodging death.

They rose the stairs to the second floor, heading towards well-earned sleep.

"Well, um, goodnight Sarah."

Chuck was about to turn the doorknob to his bedroom.

"Really, Chuck?"

He turned and Sarah was leaning against the doorframe of her bedroom, smirking devilishly at him.

He just stared at her, seemingly in a daze. She just rolled her eyes.

"I really have to spell it out for you, Captain?" She teased mercilessly. "God, I guess I do. Come here, Chuck, now."

Her tone left no room for argument. Before he could react, she lunged forward, simultaneously catching his lips with hers and his shirt with her fist. Stumbling backwards into her room, she used her free hand to grab the back of his head, deepening the kiss.


	5. The Talk

The first thing Chuck noticed was the warm body molded to his side. He became acutely aware he was naked, but he was also aware that he couldn't remember ever feeling this good. The reason was simple.

Sarah Walker.

Opening his eyes, the first thing he saw was blonde hair splayed over his chest. He could feel her soft breaths on his neck, her head buried into him. She, like him, was naked, making Chuck blush even though she was still fast asleep.

When she'd literally dragged him into the bedroom, he was beyond surprised. That didn't last long, however, as Sarah's fervent kisses proved it was real. He'd asked her if she was sure, more than once, and each time she'd glared, then smiled, then attacked him.

What did surprise them both was what happened when they finally had all their clothes off. They slowed down, either kissing or staring into each other's eyes, their bodies moving together slowly but methodically. It was as if they'd done this before, yet it was all still new and fantastic. Neither of them voiced it out loud, but they both knew something momentous had occurred between them. If they were being honest with each other, and themselves, it had started the moment they met in that little cafe.

"Staring is rude, Chuck."

Sarah's voice was muffled, but he could hear the teasing in it.

"Are you blushing?" She accused. She still hadn't moved.

"No."

"Liar."

Suddenly she was looking at him, a grin on her face, mirth dancing in her eyes.

"God you're beautiful." It was all he could say.

Her expression softened even deeper, a slight rosy color rising in her cheeks.

"Now who's blushing?" It was his turn to grin.

"Chuck?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up and kiss me."

When they woke next, the sun was firmly on its way to its zenith. Sarah was up first, but took some time to watch Chuck sleep, processing the last couple days.

She'd known right away that she liked him. It was a weird feeling for her, but certainly not in an uncomfortable way. Now, as she got to know him better, she knew their attraction was deeper than just a fling. She could feel it radiating between them, a palpable force, an unseen pull to each other. Deep down she knew it made absolutely no sense. It couldn't be explained – at least not yet.

The sound of her stomach grumbling interrupted her thoughts. Carefully untangling herself from Chuck as to not wake him, she threw on the first item of clothing she stumbled upon. It happened to be the shirt Chuck was wearing before she unceremoniously tore it off him.

Padding down the stairs barefoot, she headed for the kitchen. She'd taken some of the time she was here waiting for Chuck to stock the pantry. She grabbed some eggs, bacon, and vegetables and began to cook.

Chuck woke up alone in bed, but his disappointment was soon mitigated by the smells wafting into the room. Realizing how hungry he was, he fumbled around looking for his clothes. Unable to find his shirt, he pulled on his trousers.

When he entered the kitchen, the sight that met him almost took his breath away. Sarah stood at the stove, her back to him. She was wearing his shirt, and from what he could tell, nothing else. She was humming lowly to herself, manning the frying pan on the stove. Chuck decided to not waste his good fortune and stood silently, marveling at his luck.

"Staring again?" She snickered after a minute, her back still to him.

"Well, you're still beautiful, even more so, so yes," he smiled as she turned. "God you're beautiful."

"You said that earlier this morning," she pointed out as he walked to her. Opening his arms in invitation, she hugged him tightly before reaching up and kissing him.

"And it's still true. You cooked?" He asked the blatantly obvious.

"Mmhmm," she nodded as she turned back to the stove. "Sit down," she motioned to the kitchen table.

"Sarah Walker, Uncle Sam's greatest spy, you might be turning into a real girl," he teased.

"Shut up and eat your eggs," she deadpanned as she put his plate in front of him, not before stealing a piece of said eggs and tossing them in her mouth with a devilish grin.

After they ate a pleasant breakfast, they dressed and went to the cellar.

"So when's our next mission?" Chuck asked as they sat at their planning table.

"Don't know yet," Sarah answered.

They had an intricate system set up to communicate with their superiors across the Channel in England. They would use their radio to call in at set times, transmitting only in code. Chuck had actually helped to develop the code itself, and the Allies believed it was more secure than the fabled German Enigma code.

They reviewed maps of northern France. Sarah had already marked all the known German positions. Chuck was positive he knew exactly where the Allies were planning on invading. They would be informed before the actual invasion began of the location, they just didn't know when. Chuck explained to Sarah that Normandy was the only tactical and logical choice. The Germans were almost convinced the Allies were going to invade farther to the east, where the English Channel is at its narrowest. It was a risky gamble by Eisenhower.

Once he'd convinced her that it was indeed going to be Normandy, they began to dissect and analyze the enemy emplacements and defenses. Chuck marked key bridges and towns he knew would have to be captured, most likely by paratroopers dropping behind enemy lines just before the amphibious assault.

After a while, they both got hungry. Sarah suggested walking into town to visit the cafe where they met. It was necessary for their cover, as they had not been seen in public for two days. However, they had just killed three German soldiers the previous night and committed sabotage. They could run into Germans at any moment.

They walked, or rather strolled, hand in hand. Sarah was wearing a soft, flowing white dress that stopped just above her knees. Her hair was up in a ponytail and a content smile graced her face. Even though Chuck was wearing just a pair of blue trousers and a white shirt, Sarah still thought he looked very handsome.

"Sarah, I think we need to talk."

He sounded serious but also a little nervous, and Sarah looked up at him before she answered. He was looking straight ahead. She was slightly worried.

"Okay. About what?"

"Um, uh, us," he stumbled. "I mean, we just met and we'er in the middle of this war and I really like you and then there's what we did last night and this morning and I just-"

"Chuck."

To his credit, he immediately shut up at the tone of her voice.

"What are you trying to ask?" She needed clarification.

"I'm in uncharted territory here Sarah," he admitted quietly.

"I know," she nodded. "We both are."

"I've just never done that before – I mean I have, just not so soon, not that it's a bad thing, but I'm not usually that kind of guy...not that I think that's the kind of guy you go for-"

"Chuck."

"Right. Sorry."

"It's okay." She meant it. She tugged on his hand so he'd look down at her. He was rewarded with a small but happy smile on her face. He returned it.

"It is?"

She rolled her eyes.

"I've never done that before either," she assured him. "I like you, Chuck," she added.

That got her an even bigger smile.

"Look, Sarah, I know we're in the middle of the war. I know we're on a really important mission. They wouldn't have sent you, their best, if it weren't important. I want to be honest with you. We need trust, right?"

"Yes," she nodded. "Tell me, Chuck."

"We just met, and I promise I'm not trying to pressure you or anything like that. No matter what happens between us I'm going to be the best partner I can for you." 

"I think I know what you're getting at."

In lieu of an answer, he just nodded for her to continue.

"I knew when we met that I liked you. I don't know what it was or if it was something you did or said. It's a feeling I can't really explain yet, I just know that it's there. Last night on the mission I was so impressed and proud of you. You figured out how to destroy the tracks better. That wasn't in the Field Manual, that was purely you. Then when that soldier went to grab me, you didn't even hesitate to protect me. Don't think I didn't notice. I know you didn't do it because you think I can't handle myself or I'm not capable, right?"

"Of course not," he answered quietly, finding himself mesmerized by her.

"Exactly. You protected me because, and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, you feel it too."

It wasn't an accusation. She was simply stating a fact they both knew to be true.

"I'm not going to hide from you Chuck," she promised.

"Are you saying...are we...," he stammered.

"Let's give this a shot," she proposed. "We have a hell of a lot on our dance cards right now Chuck. If we let this hang between us and fester, we won't be able to do our jobs."

"Is that the only reason?"

"No, Chuck," she laughed. "There's also this."

She stopped them and grabbed his face, pulling him down to hers before she kissed him. It was a different kiss – one they hadn't experienced yet, full of hope and promise. After a few moments, she pulled back and grinned up at him.

"This will definitely make the cover easier," he joked as they began walking again.

Sarah swung their arms between them, enjoying the light breeze as they finally approached the town. While both of them were still reeling, in a good way, from their conversation, they were on full alert.

Just before they turned onto the small side street where the cafe was, Sarah suddenly stopped.

"What is it?" Chuck asked.

"It's Jacques," she answered, her voice tinged with something Chuck couldn't put his finger on.

"Should we say hi?" Chuck glanced around but didn't see him.

"I don't think so," Sarah quickly replied as she pulled him out of the main road.

"He's talking to an SS officer."

 _ **A/N: Once again, thank you for the reviews. I'm going to be fully honest and admit I don't really have an outline for this story. I'm pretty much winging it as I write it, so that might be why the emotions might not be fully fleshed out. I hope this chapter helped a bit.**_

 _ **Please, I hate begging, but reviews really motivate me to keep writing. I love history, especially WW2, so this is a lot of fun for me. Even if you just send me a thumbs up, it'll still make my day.**_


	6. Jacques

_**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad everyone seems to be fairly on board with how fast their relationship is moving. I know the last chapter was fluffy, but there's a bit more action in this one.**_

 _ **PLEASE review, fave and follow! I appreciate every single one!**_

 _ **Enjoy.**_

There was absolutely no explanation for it, Sarah decided. Jacques was having a conversation with an SS officer, and it didn't look to her at all like he was being scrutinized or questioned. It was obvious from their body language that they knew one another. It was almost sheer luck that she even saw them, as they were behind a house beside the road. Sarah happened to notice them in the reflection of an open window.

They needed to regroup and think, so they quickly walked back to the safe house. Once they were safely in the cellar, Sarah explained in detail what she had seen.

"Does Jacques know where we are?" Chuck asked when she opened the discussion to questions.

"No, but it wouldn't be too difficult for him to figure out," Sarah answered.

"Do you think they turned him?"

That was the million dollar question.

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "There's only one way to find out."

Chuck nodded, that much he'd already figured out.

"Okay, so how do we do this?"

She smiled, despite the situation. He was ceding control to her – gladly handing over leadership. He understood how good she was at her job. He wasn't driven by his ego or a yearning for medals on his uniform. Chuck, she had come to see, was driven by patriotism and an innate need to help people. So, in his mind, it didn't matter who came up with a plan or executed it. But she also was aware that it went further than that. Yes, he'd agreed to trust her, but that was before. Now, their trust had to be even deeper. Marrow deep. This was just him showing her, in his very special way, how much he really, truly trusted her.

"I think it's about time we ask Jacques some questions," her smirk threatened to take over her face. "Lucky for us, I know where he lives."

"Snatch and grab?"

"Mmmhmm," she nodded. "We'll wait until after dark. He only lives a couple miles from here. We'll restrain him and bring him back here."

"What if he doesn't want to come along willingly?"

"If we do this right, he won't have a chance to think about resisting. We can throw a bag over his head and gag him, stick a gun in the small of his back. If we disorient and scare him enough, I'm pretty sure we can get him here. But if he puts up a fight, we'll have to knock him out, and you'll carry him. Or we steal his horse."

Chuck's eyebrows raised at the idea of horse theft, causing Sarah to laugh.

"Chuck, when we get him back here, I'm going to have to interrogate him."

"I know."

"It might get ugly," she admitted, lowering her eyes to her feet, her hands clasped in front of her.

"I know," he repeated, his tone still soft. "We've both been doing this for a while, Sarah. I'm sure it won't be too bad."

"It's not that," she shook her head. "I'm – look, Chuck, I'm very good at getting information out of people. It's helped me a lot in the past and I don't regret it but some of the things I've done..."

Her voice trailed off, leaving silence between them. She was still looking at her feet.

"I think I know what you're getting at," he quietly said, reiterating her own words from their earlier walk. She lifted her eyes up to look at him and saw only affection in his. "I don't care about what happened in the past, Sarah. I mean, I do care, because it's made you the woman you are today, but it will not affect how I feel about you. Don't forget, I'm a soldier. I was in North Africa. I was in Sicily. I've seen horrible, awful things. I've done things I'm not proud of. I've...taken lives."

Suddenly she doesn't want to be apart from him anymore, so she moves around the table. He opens his arms and she glides into them, relishing in his warm embrace.

"I know you've killed people," she whispered, looking up at him. "You killed that Nazi last night. But don't forget, I killed the other two."

"I hate it so much," he lamented. "Killing people. I accept that it's necessary sometimes, but that doesn't mean I'll ever enjoy it. I couldn't let him touch you, Sarah." His voice is full of steel and it fills her up with pride and joy. "And about what happens once we get Jacques here, it's not going to change anything between us."

"You promise?" She asked pointedly.

In lieu of a verbal answer, he leaned down and kissed her.

The sun, as it's known to do, went down. After their quite amicable conversation, and a trip upstairs to the bedroom, they planned their new mission: kidnapping their French resistance contact. Sarah took the lead, as she had more experience in this sort of operation. She gave Chuck a lay out of Jacque's house and the surrounding area from memory. Chuck gave a few suggestions, but the bulk of the plan was Sarah's. They got their gear ready, went over the plan one final time, and embarked.

It actually went smoother than Sarah thought it would. She knew Jacques had a family – she'd met them. He had a wife and two daughters. But Chuck and Sarah found him alone, which would make it much easier. Most of the potential problems they'd tried to prepare for involved his family trying to intervene.

Chuck remained outside to stand guard while Sarah, decked out in black, made her way as stealthily as she could. Crawling through a window, she found Jacques in his kitchen, his back to her. Not wasting a second, she put her left hand over his mouth while simultaneously pulling his shoulder with her right hand and sweeping his legs out from under him. He fell backwards and she soon had him pinned under her knee. She pulled out her pistol and put the barrel flush against his forehead.

" _Silencieux_ ," she hissed in his native French. "Not a fucking word."

She had him bound, gagged, and bagged in short order. She got Chuck to help and they got him to his feet. He seemed to understand and cooperated.

As they walked back, Jacques between them, Sarah's pistol firmly to his back, she noticed Chuck taking sideward glances at her and failing to hide his smile. She resolved to ask him about it later.

They put him in a chair in the darkest corner of the cellar, making sure he was facing the wall. They left him gagged and bagged, and secured him tightly to the chair. The only exit from the cellar was the indoor stairs to the main floor of the house. Chuck and Sarah regrouped upstairs in the kitchen, Chuck brewing them both a cup of coffee.

"Chuck, why were you looking at me like that on the trip back?"

She knew she didn't need to elaborate, he understood what she was asking.

"You," he shrugged, smiling at her. "When I came into Jacque's kitchen he was face down with a bag on his head. But you, Sarah, you were sitting on his back, the most adorable grin on your face. I knew you're a great Agent, but that was incredible. I didn't hear a sound until I came in. That, along with that outfit you're wearing and your hair in that ponytail, I guess got me excited."

Her smile grew as he rambled on, realizing her actions had turned him on. If she was being honest, his own mission clothes had been turning her on since before they left for the mission.

"Will you kiss me before I have to go back downstairs?"

Chuck looked at her and he saw the real Sarah – not the Agent, not the operative behind enemy lines, not the person the US Government had trained for espionage. No, he saw her. He saw her in her clear, blue eyes that looked right into his own eyes. The slight worry on her face he'd noticed before the mission was gone.

"Do you really have to ask?" He grinned.

A few minutes later, Sarah left Chuck in the kitchen and headed back down the stairs.

Walking around Jacques and standing in front of him, she lifted the bag off his head.

"Hi, Jacques," she deadpanned, no discernible emotion in her voice. "If I take your gag out and you don't keep quiet until told otherwise, I'm going to get very upset."

Jacques just nodded, defeated. She removed his gag and true to his word, he remained silent.

"Do you know why you're here?" After he kept silent for a moment, she added, "You can answer me."

"I think because you saw me today."

"That's correct," she nodded. "Good. One for one. Can you imagine what my next question is?"

"Why I was talking to him."

"Bingo! Two for two. You're doing great, Jacques. Now we're about to get into the nasty stuff. If I don't like what you have to say, it's going to get rather unpleasant for both of us. I will take no pleasure in hurting you, but I will not hesitate if I think you're lying to me."

" _S'il vous-plait_ ," he almost begged, his voice barely above a whisper. "It is not what you think. Please, let me explain."

"Go ahead."

"They have my family!" He cried out. "They came three days ago," he continued. "They told me I had to work for them or they would kill them."

"So that's why three Germans 'found' us last night?"

" _Oui_ ," he admitted, nodding.

On one hand, Sarah was fuming. Absolutely livid. She hadn't know Jacques all that long, but she had started to trust him. She had to, if the mission was to succeed. He'd plainly betrayed them, and it had almost cost hers and Chuck's lives. On the other hand, if his story was true, the SS had kidnapped three innocent civilians and were threatening them with death. Sarah couldn't ignore that fact.

She needed to talk to Chuck. Without a word to Jacques, she stuffed his gag back in his mouth and put the bag back on his head.

She found Chuck in the kitchen where she'd left him. Instead of sitting next to him at the table, she just plopped herself down sideways directly into his lap and kissed him.

"Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?" He asked when she finally relented.

"I missed you," she shrugged. He just smiled and stole a quick peck.

"Did he talk?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "He told me the SS showed up three nights ago and took his wife and daughters. They told him he had to work for them, or they would kill his family. That's how those soldiers found us last night. Jacques told them where we'd be."

Chuck processed the new information, and Sarah watched him go through several emotions, including disbelief, betrayal, and anger.

"There is something that's bothering me though," Sarah said after a few moments. "Why did they only send three soldiers to try to capture or kill us? Surely if they had any idea we're trained they would have had more backup with them."

"Do you think it's something Jacques might have told them?" Chuck asked. "Maybe he downplayed who we were, or didn't outright tell the Germans who we are. He might have been forced to work for them, but he's still a patriot, right? I have to believe that there's good in him still."

She just marveled at him. They were behind enemy lines, in the midst of finding out they'd been betrayed by the one other person they were supposed to trust, and he was still trying to see the positives of it all. He still had faith in people, in humanity.

"How old are his girls?" Chuck's voice snapped her focus back.

"Five and three."

"Let's go," he suddenly declared. She was back on her feet before she knew it, watching Chuck lead them out of the kitchen with the most determined face.

"Where are we going?" She wanted to know.

"To get Jacques' family back," he answered as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Those bastards think they can get away with whatever they want, Sarah."

"Let's go show them otherwise."


	7. The Genesis

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story or posted a review to my Author's Notes on my other unfinished stories. I'm pretty rusty at this whole writing thing, and I've noticed my chapters getting longer and more detailed as I go, so hopefully this story will get better accordingly.**_

 _ **Please, please, please leave a review if you like it. Or if you hate it. Either way is cool.**_

 _ **Enjoy!**_

"Chuck, wait," Sarah reached out and grabbed his arm before he marched to Berlin by himself.

He stopped and turned to face her. Looking up into his eyes, she was taken aback by the look in them. He was determined, that much was evident. She even saw anger, something she hadn't seen him exhibit before. She was almost a little scared by the emotions swirling within him. She felt it too – the hurt from being betrayed and almost killed, the anger at the realization that innocent people's lives were on the line.

"What's the plan?" She asked gently.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"We're going to get Jacques' family back," he finally answered.

"I know that," she nodded. "How?"

"Let's talk to Jacques again," he suggested.

"Okay."

Before she followed him downstairs, she took his hand in hers and squeezed. She wanted to show him she supported him fully, that she trusted him and was behind him.

Chuck grabbed a chair and put it down across from Jacques. He took off the bag and removed the gag from his mouth before sitting down.

Jacques blinked a few times before settling his gaze on Chuck. Sarah stood off to the side, watching intently.

"When is the next time you have to check in?" Chuck got right to the point.

"Tomorrow," Jacques answered. Chuck, studying his face, came to the conclusion he was telling the truth. He had nothing to lose anymore.

"The officer you were talking to..."

"Kruger," Jacques supplied. 

"Kruger," Chuck repeated. "What did you tell him about us?"

"He thinks you are resistance, like me."

"He thinks we're French?"

Jacques just nodded. Chuck looked up at Sarah and they shared a look. This was good news, if any of this could be called good. Both of them had come to the obvious conclusion that their covers had been blown, that their next move was to abort the mission and make their way back to England. There was a very good chance that their identities were only known to a few of the Germans, especially since they had killed the ones already sent after them. It would be quite embarrassing for an SS officer to admit to his colleagues or superiors that they'd utterly failed. There was no real way for them to know, however, without evidence one way or the other.

"He's the one that took your family." It wasn't a question.

Jacques nodded again.

"Do you have any idea where he's keeping them?"

"The SS headquarters in town. In the cellar. I made him show me they were alive."

It was Chuck's turn to nod, and Sarah knew his mind was working overtime.

"Sarah, we need to talk," he told her as he stood up.

"Upstairs?" She asked.

"No," Chuck shook his head.

He looked down at Jacques, his full long frame making him tower over the restrained man.

"I'm not even going to bother gagging you again," Chuck informed him. "There are only two ways you are ever leaving this basement, and you know what they are." His voice grew steelier as he went on. "I believe you, Jacques. I believe Kruger has kidnapped your family. I'm going to do my best to get them back, even though you almost got us killed. They shouldn't have to pay for your actions. But understand this, _ami_ , if anything happens to Sarah, if even one hair on her head is out of place, I will kill you. You will wish it was the Nazis and not me."

Sarah was in sensory overload. They were apparently going to rescue Jacques' family from the SS headquarters. That in itself was insane. There were only two of them, and the SS was elite. Then Chuck rose to his feet and point-blank told Jacques the consequences of Sarah getting hurt in any way. She already knew he'd protect her as her partner, but this obviously went way beyond that. On purpose, she hadn't given the word that much thought yet, but it was becoming blatant – it was love. Only love could inspire that kind of devotion, the kind of fire she saw in Chuck's eyes. He was in love with her.

The thought threatened to overwhelm her. When she was recruited into the OSS, she knew what she was giving up. She was going into a war, the greatest the world had ever known. The chances she would even make it home were slim, and she accepted that. She'd never let herself dream about what she'd do once it was all over. It took away from her focus and distracted her from her duty.

Yet Chuck, in the short time she'd known him, had smashed through all her carefully crafted defenses. She found herself, for the first time, thinking about what it would be like when the war was over. When they could all finally go home and start the rest of their lives. Central to all those dreams, she realized, was Chuck.

He wasn't a distraction. Okay, yes, she wanted to kiss him. A lot. But they plainly worked well together. They complemented each other's skill sets, making them a formidable team. He was a problem solver, always thinking outside the box to get something done. She was all about action. While he knew all about military tactics, equipment and soldiering, she knew about covert operations, espionage, and stealth.

Maybe it was the fact that they about to plan a suicide mission. Maybe it was the fact that they were in the middle of a war, behind enemy lines, and could be killed at any moment. Or maybe it was just because she didn't want to waste any time they did have left together. No matter the reason, she was determined to tell him how she felt.

"Before we start planning, I need to speak with you upstairs, Captain."

Her serious tone surprised Chuck a little, and he nodded quickly. She only called him Captain so he knew she was serious – that there was to be no argument from him.

He followed her dutifully into the kitchen.

"Sit across from me," she motioned to where she wanted him. "I don't know if I can say this if we're attached."

He just nodded and sat down across from her. She folded her hands and put them on the table in front of her, staring down at them. Chuck wisely remained silent and waited for her to speak.

"Did you mean what you told Jacques?" She finally whispered. After another moment of silence she decided to clarify. "When you told him you'd kill him if anything happened to me."

"Yes."

She snapped her eyes to his and gasped slightly at the look of pure determination in his eyes.

"Really?"

"Yes, Sarah, I meant every word," he said emphatically.

"Good," she sounded relieved.

Chuck studied her intently. She seemed apprehensive, nervous. He hadn't really seen her like this before and it fascinated him. Since they'd met, she hadn't stopped surprising him. She was supremely intelligent, stunningly beautiful, and incredibly dedicated to her job.

He knew right off the bat that his feelings for her went beyond professional partnership. When she kissed him right after the explosion, he dared to let himself feel a little hope that those feelings were reciprocated. When she later pulled him into her bedroom, she showed him that they indeed were. Making love to her had been the absolute highlight of his life. At first he was, admittedly, nervous. He'd never seen a woman as beautiful as her, much less kissed and touched one. But she tore down his defenses with soft words and even softer kisses.

When he'd seen that German soldier going for her, he just reacted. It wasn't his training, although that certainly helped. She was fully capable of taking care of herself. It was one of her greatest qualities in Chuck's mind. Yet it was as he told her – he couldn't stand even the thought of that Nazi putting his hands on her. It wasn't possessive, at least not in a bad way. It was protective, instinctual, and it was born out of one thing. Love.

Chuck had always been honest – with his family, friends, superior officers, but most of all with himself. The emotions swirling around in him since Sarah Walker waltzed into his life began to clear and become concise. He had never felt this way about anyone else in his life. When he looked at her, it took his breath away. When she touched him, she lit his skin on fire. When she kissed him, fireworks went off. While the physical attraction was a huge part of it, the emotional connection he felt with her threatened to overtake him. Earlier they had been in bed, having just finished another round of lovemaking. She laid under him on her back, completely open and vulnerable. She didn't have to say it – the look in her eyes told him. She trusted him. She loved him. Chuck's habit for honesty didn't fail him. He knew. He was in love with her.

"Chuck?" Sarah's voice pierced the silence.

"Sorry," he smiled, blushing.

"It's okay."

"Sarah, you know you can tell me anyt-"

"I love you."

Chuck's heart skipped a beat as he registered her words. She bore her eyes into him, waiting to gauge his response.

"I love you," she repeated with as much emotion as she could deliver. "We might die on this mission. We might live sixty more years. I don't know. What I do know is that I love you, and I refuse to waste any more time without you knowing it. I know we really don't know each other all that well yet. I don't care. There's a lot of things I want to tell you, about my past and growing up, and that really scares me. But it doesn't scare me as much as going another moment without telling you how much I love you."

He was floored. He really had no idea what she wanted to come upstairs to talk about, and now she had declared, in no uncertain terms, her love for him. He had a hard time believing it wasn't a dream, but when he looked at her, he knew it was real. This amazing woman was in love with him. She felt the same way, seemingly maybe even stronger, that he did.

Seconds passed, and Sarah grew more and more terrified. He hadn't answered her. In fact, he looked like he was in a daze. His eyes were slightly glassed over and his mind seemed to be in the clouds. Reaching out tentatively, she grasped his left hand and sandwiched it between her own.

"Chuck?"

"Hmm?" He looked at her. The fact that he still hadn't said anything weighed heavily on her.

"Maybe we should go back downstairs and start plann-"

"I love you."

It was his turn to interrupt with his own declaration. She looked into his eyes and saw the truth there, the love.

"I love you," he repeated just as she had. "I don't care about who you were or what you did, Sarah. I know who you are. You're incredible. You're independent and a great partner. You truly care about what we're doing here. I love that about you."

"Is that all you love about me?" Her tone was half serious, half teasing.

"You're beautiful," he blurted out. Her smile took over her whole face. "You're so beautiful it hurts. Not just on the outside either. You're so kind and caring. But, god, you're beautiful."

"You're not so bad yourself," she joked, punching him lightly in the arm.

"Please, I'm fantastic," he waved her off with a grin.

"Yeah, you are."

She took the initiative and leaned up and across the table, framing his face in her hands before kissing him thoroughly. When she figured she'd let him up for air, she rested her forehead against his.

" _Je t'aime,_ Chuck." This time she whispered it in French.

"I love you too, Sarah," he replied before capturing her lips for one more kiss.

She couldn't stand being apart from him anymore so she came around the kitchen table, scooted him and his chair a bit, and plopped down sideways in his lap.

"I hate to break the mood, but we do have a rescue mission to plan," she informed him as she ran her hands through his hair, one of her new favorite activities.

"Right," he nodded, still in a haze.

"Chuck, listen," she sighed. "As much as I would love to continue this upstairs in our bedroom, we have a job to do. Now I'm almost positive that you already have the beginnings of a plan, am I correct?"

The fact that she'd referred to it as 'our' bedroom didn't escape Chuck, but he let it slide for the time being.

"Maybe. No. Yes," he waffled. "No matter what, it's going to be risky Sarah. We're talking about infiltrating SS headquarters. We can't just blow open the front door and invite ourselves in."

She thought about it for a moment. It would be quite awesome to do just that. Blow open the front door, send the SS where they belong, and rescue Jacques' family. Chuck was right, though. Right now there was only the two of them. They didn't know who they could trust in the resistance anymore. Purposefully, they didn't know where any other American agents were, or even if there were any friendlies in the area. It was up to them.

"I'm going to have to seduce someone," she came to the conclusion on her own.

Chuck just sighed and nodded sadly.

"Don't worry, Chuck," she soothed, her heart breaking for him. "Everything is going to be okay."

"I know," he tried, pathetically, to show her he was fine. "I know what you have to do. I hate it. And I hate that I'm the one making you do it."

"You're not making me. I want to." Before he could rush to judgement, she continued. "To save Jacques' family. They're innocent, Chuck, and they deserve to live. Besides, I'm pretty good at my job. I don't want any of those assholes touching me any more than you do."

Now they both sighed, already picturing the worst case scenarios.

They might love each other, but this was going to be a big test of their newfound relationship.


End file.
